doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Steel Shot in Vintage Doubles...

Guys I researched the steel shot issue when I used to live in Naperville. There was a trap range within walking distance of my house that a local resident tried to get shut down by playing the environmental card (I used to be an environmental consultant and his lawsuit was total BS, but that's another story). Anyhow, all he did was make it so we had to shoot steel or non-toxic shot (and finally after causing all this trouble, the SOB turns around and dies, how inconsiderate is that!).
I measured the petals on the steel shot wads and compared them to the wad petals used with lead shot. The steel shot petals were much thicker, so much so that the petals alone could compress more than enough to pass through a standard full choke. Before I became totally bored shooting trap and quite the game, I shot steel throuh several American guns, a 12 bore Nitro Special and a 12 bore Stevens 311. Neither gun appeared to be hurt in the least using #7 steel shot.
Steve

Buzz, there's only one federal agency with the writ to totally ban a substance for environmental reasons. That's the EPA, and Congress has expressly taken away their authority to regulate lead in ammunition. That leaves the USFWS, which can ban lead on migratory species and on federal land. But they're almost out of migratory species at which we can still shoot lead, doves being the big exception--and that ban may eventually come. Regulating ammunition for other upland species falls to the states. And lately, at the state level, sportsmen and shooters have been making their voices heard to their politicians, and have been beating back increased nontox requirements. It's only inevitable if we allow it to go that way.

Snipe, woodcock, Sandhill cranes, Snowbirds on I-95...

What are you going to bring down with 7/8 oz. of slow moving steel? I�ve only used 3� magnums. Who has firsthand experience using low velocity steel? What have you bagged? Clay doesn't count.

Steve, you mentioned two guns, the Stevens 311 and the Nitro Special, that can't be hurt by anything!!
So those two models are not part of this discussion.

If you consider 1450 fps slow steel, I've bagged a number of phez with it; 20 ga 3/4 oz #4 shot Federal Premium.

I'm not a waterfowler, so I don't shoot 3" anything.

SIL has bagged a lot of Mn. phez with 16 ga 1350 fps 15/16 oz Federal Premium.

I shoot 2 3/4" shells with steel 3's, or 4's on mallards exclusively.

GLS, I think the migratory snowbirds on I 95 in the fall would need a lot of boiling, tough as old boots; I'd say!
Mike

Larry: Thanks for your informative and concise response to my question. Clearly this non-toxic issue is a big problem for the clays and upland shooter. Hopefully, this push for steel and non-tox can be kwelled. I intend to address this issue with my local Quail Unlimited and Ruffed Grouse Society organizations. At least this will be a start on my part. Regards, Buzz

Buzz and everyone,

Let us not forget that the anti-gun, anti-hunting, and anti-everything else in this world people realize that it is nearly impossible to outlaw guns and/or hunting. They can however take away our rights and privileges a little piece at time. Part of the anti's overall strategy it to make guns and hunting so expensive that over time there will be fewer and fewer participants in our beloved hobbies. Then, will us having a much smaller political base, they might just be albe to outlaw guns and/or hunting.

Sure, I shoot Nice Shot handloads at $3 per shot at the few ducks and geese that I bag. I would however not want to pay $2 - $3 per cartridge to shoot doves! I also shoot 100 - 200 rounds of lead shot every week for sporting clays, skeet, and trap. My 7/8 oz lead handloads are pretty affordable. If lead were outlawed I suspect that handloading steel target loads would be more expensive.

As for my classic American SxS, I do think that with a properly designed wad steel shot will not damage the barrels. That stated I do not want to be bulldozed by the anti's into having to shoot steel for targets, doves, or non-migratory species! That would not stop me from shoot but I might shoot less. Someone else might not be able to afford to shoot steel and take up golf instead.

It will be a sad, sad, day when it is cheaper to play 9 holes of golf than to shoot a few rounds of skeet!

Mark